lou: on this broadcast we never talk about the fiscal cliff without referring to the incipient cause, there rid of it all, and that is why i believe it is entirely appropriate told the president accountable for thfiscal cliff because this is the only bullish and work here. it is this president who has decided to issue an ultimatum. first on taxes and being raised on only 2 percent of the people. secondly, insisting tha the debt ceiling ssue be compounded with it all. this is without question an ultimatum, the consequenceare his. what do you think? >> well, i am afraid that even though the consequences are his, the consequences for the economy will be his. i think he is betting, i think there is pretty good evidence right now that he is betting that he can win this argument because the media and his megaphone enable him to persuade the american people that the republicans will be the cause of e troubles that we will face if we go over the cliff. lou: history is littered with examples of those to proceed and rationally so but came up against creative, energetic opposition that found a w